Buzz numbers were letter-number combinations displayed by United States Air Force military aircraft in the years immediately after World War II, through the early 1960s.
The first two letters of a buzz number indicated the type and designation of an aircraft while the last three were generally the last three digits of the aircraft serial number. Air Force fighters used buzz numbers starting with the letter F (or P, when fighters were designated as "pursuit" aircraft before June 1948), while bombers started with the letter B. For example, a P-51 Mustang would have a buzz number such as FF-230 while an F-86 Sabre might be FU-910. A B-66 Destroyer would have a buzz number such as BB-222. One of the last Air Force fighters to carry a buzz number was the F-4 Phantom II (FJ), then called the F-110 Spectre by the Air Force.
List of buzz codes
This table lists U.S. Air Force and U.S. Army aircraft by buzz-number prefix. Note that some aircraft types changed prefixes during their career, while other prefixes were re-used after an earlier type was retired.
| Code name | Manufacturer | Aircraft | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|
| AA | Douglas | A-24/F-24 Banshee | 1 |
| AB | Curtiss | A-25 Shrike | 1 |
| AC | Douglas | A-26 Invader | recoded BC in 19481 |
| AD | Vultee | A-31 Vengeance | 1 |
| AE | Convair | XA-41 | 1 |
| BA | Boeing | B-17 Flying Fortress | 1 |
| BA | Martin | B-57 Canberra | 1 |
| BB | Douglas | XB-19 | 1 |
| BB | Douglas | B-66 Destroyer | 1 |
| BC | Consolidated | B-24 Liberator | 1 |
| BC | Douglas | B-26 Invader | originally AC1 |
| BD | North American | B-25 Mitchell | 1 |
| BE | North American | B-45 Tornado | recoded BH in 19481 |
| BF | Boeing | B-29 Superfortress | 1 |
| BG | Consolidated | B-32 Dominator | 1 |
| BG | Northrop | XB-35 | 1 |
| BH | Lockheed | B-37 Ventura | 1 |
| BH | North American | B-45 Tornado | originally BE1 |
| BJ | Boeing | XB-39 Superfortress | 1 |
| BK | Douglas | XB-42 Mixmaster | 1 |
| BK | Boeing | B-50 Superfortress | 1 |
| BL | Boeing | XB-44 Superfortress | 1 |
| BM | Convair | B-36 Peacemaker | 1 |
| CA | Beechcraft | CQ-3 Expeditor | 1 |
| CA | Douglas | C-124 Globemaster II | 1 |
| CB | Beechcraft | UC-43 Traveler | |
| CC | Beechcraft | C-45 Expeditor | |
| CD | Curtiss | C-46 Commando | |
| CE | Douglas | C-47 Skytrain | 1 |
| CF | Douglas | C-48 | |
| CG | Douglas | C-49 | |
| CH | Douglas | C-53 Skytrooper | |
| CJ | Douglas | C-54 Skymaster | 1 |
| CK | Lockheed | C-60 Lodestar | |
| CL | Noorduyn | UC-64 Norseman | |
| CM | Lockheed | C-69 Constellation | |
| CN | Douglas | C-74 Globemaster | 1 |
| CP | Cessna | UC-78 Bobcat | 1 |
| CP | Convair | C-131 Samaritan | 1 |
| CQ | Fairchild | C-82 Packet | 1 |
| CQ | Fairchild | C-119 Flying Boxcar | 1 |
| CR | Consolidated | C-87 Liberator Express | 1 |
| CS | Boeing | C-97 Stratofreighter/KC-97 Stratofreighter | 1 |
| CT | Convair | XC-99 | 1 |
| CU | Douglas | C-117 Skytrooper | 1 |
| CV | Douglas | C-118 Liftmaster | 1 |
| CW | Lockheed | C-121 Constellation | 1 |
| CY | Chase | YC-122 Avitruc | 1 |
| CZ | Chase | C-123 Provider | 12 |
| CZ | Fairchild | C-123 Provider | 1 |
| FA | Beechcraft | F-2 Expeditor | cancelled 19481 |
| FB | Lockheed | F-5 Lightning | cancelled 19481 |
| FC | North American | F-6 Mustang | cancelled 1948, to FF1 |
| FD | Consolidated | F-7 Liberator | cancelled 19481 |
| FE | Boeing | F-9 Flying Fortress | cancelled 1948, to BA1 |
| FF | North American | F-10 Mitchell | cancelled 1948, to BD1 |
| FG | Boeing | F-13 Superfortress | cancelled 1948, to BF1 |
| FH | Northrop | F-15 Reporter | cancelled 1948, to FK1 |
| F | Northrop | N-156F | 3 |
| FA | Lockheed | F-38 Lightning | previously PA1 |
| FA | Lockheed | F-94 Starfire | 1 |
| FA | Northrop | F-5 Freedom Fighter | 14 |
| FB | Bell | F-39 Airacobra | previously PB1 |
| FB | McDonnell | F-101 Voodoo | 1 |
| FC | Curtiss | F-40 Warhawk | previously PC1 |
| FC | Convair | F-102 Delta Dagger | 1 |
| FD | Republic | XF-103 | 1 |
| FE | Republic | F-47 Thunderbolt | previously PE1 |
| FE | Convair | F-106 Delta Dart | 1 |
| FF | North American | F-51 Mustang | previously PF1 |
| FG | Lockheed | F-104 Starfighter | 1 |
| FH | Republic | F-105 Thunderchief | 1 |
| FJ | Bell | F-59 Airacomet | previously PJ1 |
| FJ | McDonnell | F-110 Spectre | 1 |
| FK | Northrop | F-61 Black Widow | previously PK1 |
| FL | Bell | F-63 Kingcobra | previously PL1 |
| FN | Lockheed | F-80 Shooting Star | previously PL, recoded FT1 |
| FP | Convair | XF-81 | previously PP1 |
| FQ | North American | F-82 Twin Mustang | previously PQ1 |
| FR | Bell | XF-83 | previously PR1 |
| FS | Republic | F-84 Thunderjet | previously PS1 |
| FT | Lockheed | F-80 Shooting Star | previously PN, FN1 |
| QFT | Lockheed | QF-80 Shooting Star | 1 |
| FU | North American | F-86 Sabre | previously PU1 |
| FV | Northrop | Northrop F-89 Scorpion | 1 |
| FW | North American | F-100 Super Sabre | 1 |
| FX | Lockheed | YF-12 Blackbird | 5 Unofficial? |
| FY | North American | YF-93 | |
| FY | North American | YF-95 | recoded FU |
| GA | Waco | PG-2 | 1 |
| GB | Waco | PG-3 | 1 |
| GC | Waco | CG-4 | 1 |
| GD | Laister-Kauffman | XCG-10 Trojan Horse | 1 |
| GE | Waco | CG-13 | 1 |
| GF | Chase | YCG-14 | 1 |
| GG | Waco | CG-15 | 1 |
| GH | Chase | XCG-18 | 1 |
| GJ | Chase | XCG-20 | 1 |
| JT | Cessna | YAT-37D | 6 |
| LA | Taylorcraft | L-2 Grasshopper | 1 |
| LA | Piper | L-4 Grasshopper | originally LC1 |
| LB | Aeronca | L-3 Grasshopper | 1 |
| LB | Stinson | L-5 Sentinel | originally LD1 |
| LC | Piper | L-4 Grasshopper | recoded LA1 |
| LC | Aeronca | L-16 | originally LH1 |
| LB | Stinson | L-5 Sentinel | recoded LB1 |
| LD | Ryan | L-17B/U-18B Navion | See LJ for North American L-17A/C, U-18A/C1 |
| LE | Interstate | L-6 Cadet | 1 |
| LE | Boeing | L-15 Scout | 1 |
| LE | Piper | L-18 Super Cub | 1 |
| LF | Piper | L-14 | 1 |
| LF | Cessna | L-19 Bird Dog | 1 |
| LG | Convair | L-13 Grasshopper | 1 |
| LG | de Havilland Canada | L-20 Beaver | 1 |
| LH | Aeronca | L-16 | recoded LC1 |
| LH | Piper | L-21 Super Cub | 1 |
| LJ | North American | L-17A/C, U-18A/C Navion | See LD for Ryan L-17B, U-18B1 |
| LJ | Beechcraft | L-23 Seminole | 1 |
| LK | Aero Commander | L-26 | 1 |
| OA | Grumman | OA-9 Goose | 1 |
| OB | Consolidated | OA-10 Catalina | 1 |
| OC | North American | O-47 | 1 |
| OD | Kellett | YO-60 | 1 |
| OE | Boeing | PB2B-1 Catalina | 6 |
| PA | Lockheed | P-38 Lightning | recoded FA in 19481 |
| PB | Bell | P-39 Airacobra | recoded FB in 19481 |
| PC | Curtiss | P-40 Warhawk | recoded FC in 19481 |
| PD | Curtiss | XP-42 | 1 |
| PE | Republic | P-47 Thunderbolt | recoded FE in 19481 |
| PF | North American | P-51 Mustang | recoded FF in 19481 |
| PG | Curtiss | XP-55 Ascender | 1 |
| PH | Lockheed | XP-58 Chain Lightning | 1 |
| PJ | Bell | P-59 Airacomet | recoded FJ in 19481 |
| PK | Northrop | P-61 Black Widow | recoded FK in 19481 |
| PL | Bell | P-63 Kingcobra | recoded FL in 19481 |
| PM | Fisher | P-75 Eagle | 1 |
| PN | Lockheed | P-80 Shooting Star | recoded FT in 19481 |
| PP | Convair | XP-81 | recoded FP in 19481 |
| PQ | North American | P-82 Twin Mustang | recoded FQ in 19481 |
| PR | Bell | XP-83 | recoded FR in 19481 |
| PS | Republic | P-84 Thunderjet | recoded FS in 19481 |
| PU | North American | P-86 Sabre | recoded FU in 19481 |
| QF | Piasecki | H-21 Workhorse | 6 |
| QK | Culver | Q-14 Cadet | 6 |
| RF | North American | RF-51 Mustang | 6 |
| TA | North American | AT-6 Texan | 1 |
| LTA | North American | LT-6G Texan | 1 |
| TB | Beechcraft | AT-7 Navigator | 1 |
| TC | Beechcraft | AT-11 Kansan | 6 |
| TC | Mikoyan-Gurevich | MiG-15 | 7 |
| TC | Convair | TF-102 Delta Dagger | 8 |
| TD | Fairchild | AT-21 Gunner | 1 |
| TD | Beechcraft | T-34 Mentor | 1 |
| BTE | Vultee | BT-13 Valiant | 1 |
| TE | Cessna | T-37 Tweet | 6 |
| PTF | Boeing | PT-13 Kaydet | 1 |
| TF | North American | TF-51 Mustang | 6 |
| TF | Northrop | T-38 Talon | 69 |
| TG | Boeing | PT-17 Kaydet | 1 |
| TG | Lockheed | TF-104 Starfighter | 6 |
| TG | North American | T-39 Sabreliner | 6 |
| TH | Fairchild | PT-19 | 1 |
| TJ | Culver | PQ-8 Cadet | 1 |
| TK | Culver | PQ-14 Cadet | 6 |
| TL | North American | T-28 Trojan | 1 |
| TP | Convair | T-29 Flying Classroom | 1 |
| TQ | Fairchild | T-31 | 1 |
| TR | Lockheed | T-33 Shooting Star | 6 |
| UG | de Havilland Canada | U-6 Beaver | 6 |
| UH | Piper | U-7 Super Cub | 6 |
| UK | Aero Commander | U-4/U-9 | 6 |
| YF | North American | YF-93 | 10 |
| YT | Cessna | YAT-37D | 6 |
References
References
- Citations
- Andrade 1979, p. 249
- Adcock 1992, p.7.
- Johnsen 2006, p.10.
- Johnsen 2006, p.6.
- Sgarlato 1979, p.82.
- Swanborough and Bowers 1989, p.43.
- Hooftman 1965, p.59.
- Kinzey 1990, p.17.
- Johnsen 2006, p.58.
- "North American YF-93". Fact Sheets. National Museum of the United States Air Force. Archived from the original on 2014-10-27. Retrieved 2017-07-09.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
- Bibliography
- Adcock, Al (1992). C-123 Provider in action. Aircraft In Action. Vol. 124. Carrollton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications. ISBN 978-0-89747-276-0.
- Andrade, John M. (1979). U.S. Military Aircraft Designations and Serials since 1909. Leichester, UK: Midland Counties Publications. ISBN 0-904597-22-9. Retrieved 2011-02-08.
- Hooftman, Hugo (1965). Russian Aircraft. Fallbrook, CA: Aero Publishers. ISBN 978-0-8168-8100-0. Retrieved 2011-02-08.
- Johnsen, Frederick A. (2006). Northrop F-5/F-20/T-38. WarbirdTech Series. Vol. 44. North Branch, MN: Specialty Press. ISBN 978-1-58007-094-2.
- Kinzey, Bert (1990). F-102 Delta Dagger in Detail & Scale. Detail & Scale. Vol. 35. Carrollton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications. ISBN 978-0-8306-3046-2. Retrieved 2011-02-08.
- Sgarlato, Nico (1979). USAF Aircraft of Today. Carrollton, TX: Squadron/Signal Publications. ISBN 0-89747-068-0.
- Swanborough, Gordon; Peter M. Bowers (1989). United States Military Aircraft since 1909. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press. ISBN 978-0-87474-880-2.
Douglas XCG-17.
- Further reading
- Bowers, Peter M.; David W. Menard (2006). Buzz Numbers: The Explanations and Regulations Behind America's Military Aircraft Identification System. North Branch, MN: Specialty Press. ISBN 978-1-58007-103-1.